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The way forward

• Health Departments should collect and publish anonymised data on the number of health care professionals (by profession and grade) with disabilities in the UK.
• More research is required into whether and how disabled doctors’ needs are being met in employment and medical education.

• The BMA should continue to review and update the “Doctors with disabilities” web resource
  This is a sign-posting service to provide contact details and web links to information sources for disabled doctors and medical student members. This service provides information about aids, facilities, equipment and financial help.
• Medical schools should provide clear admissions information about the facilities, course content, as well as physical access, that is available for disabled or chronically ill individuals wishing to study medicine.
• The definition of disability used for monitoring within the health sector, including by UCAS for entry to medical school should be reviewed.
  This revised definition should encompass a broader understanding of disabilities in the context of a disabling environment. It should not only be focused on those disabilities requiring special needs or extra support.

• There should be a fully comprehensive NHS occupational health service for all doctors, including general practitioners.
  Occupational health practitioners and specialists who are experienced in dealing with the needs of people with disabilities should be available to provide advice for doctors and students. Occupational health practitioners should work in partnership with disability organisations to give advice and support.

• The GMC should work with the BMA and medical schools to develop guidelines on skills assessment for doctors with disabilities.
  This should include consideration of the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviour that are required to follow various different medical career paths, the suitable training required to equip individuals to follow these careers, as well as innovative approaches to demonstrate the ways in which students with a wide range of disabilities or health conditions can achieve the required standards.

• Trusts, medical schools and primary care organisations must take action to ensure that they meet their legal obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act.
  In October 2004, the DDA is being extended to apply to service providers, who will be required to make reasonable adjustments to facilities for disabled medical students and doctors. Furthermore, it will be unlawful for an employer to discriminate against a disabled person in recruitment, promotion, dismissal or redundancy.
• There should be financial assistance for Trusts and general practices employing doctors with disabilities when special equipment, aids and structural alterations are required.
• Medical schools should foster greater awareness of and provision for disability issues during medical training.
  Medical students may become disabled during their undergraduate training. They should be provided with rehabilitation and support to continue with their training in line with the treatment that doctors would receive.

• Guidelines for education and training in disability matters should be developed by the BMA in conjunction with the medical royal colleges, regional postgraduate deans, advisors in general practice and undergraduate deans.
  Training should acknowledge the important multi-dimensional contributions of different health care professionals and include the social model of disability.
• Doctors should be made aware of how their environment can or may be disabling to their colleagues.
  This should be promoted through disability awareness training and disability equality training within the undergraduate curriculum and in post-graduate programmes.
• All employers and general practitioners should ensure that policies and procedures for equal opportunities include disability in all employment matters, including recruitment and selection, training, promotion and career development.
  They should seek to attain the Two Ticks Symbol – Positive About Disabled People, which is given by Jobcentre Plus, to employers who have agreed to meet five commitments regarding the recruitment, employment, retention and career development of disabled people.
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  © British Medical Association 2008